Rowers set new world record

At 5.25pm today the Islanders set a new world record for unassisted rowing around Britain with a time of 26 days 9 hours 9 minutes and 58 seconds - shaving over 12 hours off the previous record set in 2005.

Here is a map of their route:

Four men who have spent the last 25 days rowing 2,000 miles non-stop around Britain may have reached a new world record.

Skipper Josh Taylor, 24, Alan Morgan, 23, from Mersea Island, Essex, James Plumley, 24, from Guernsey and 25-year-old Gavin Sheehan from southern Ireland, will win a £100,000 bounty from the organisers of GBRow 2013, if successfully reaching a new world record.

Why is this race the toughest in the world?

• Totally unaided, crews in GBRow 2013 tackle the most dangerous and fast turning tides on the planet.
• They have to cross the world’s busiest shipping lanes, as well as avoid heavy shipping including car ferries, industrial fishing trawlers and private yachts on autopilot.

What are the prizes?

• GBRow 2013 offers the highest bounty in any rowing race in history of £100,000 for beating the fastest world record time.
• First boat home wins £15,000; Second place wins £6,000 and third place wins £4,000.

What is meant by non-stop and unassisted?

• The crews not allowed tie up into any port during their 2000-mile journey.
• They must carry all their own food and water. Each boat has a machine onboard to turn seawater into fresh for drinking.
• They are allowed to anchor at sea if the tide is too strong.

Four men who have spent the last 25 days rowing 2,000 miles non-stop around Britain are due to set a new world record when they reach Tower Bridge at around 5pm today.

The crew – known as the Islanders because all come from islands – are expected to knock 12 hours off the world record which currently stands at 26 days 21 hours and 14 minutes.

Skipper Josh Taylor, 24, Alan Morgan, 23, from Mersea Island, Essex, James Plumley, 24, from Guernsey and 25-year-old Gavin Sheehan from southern Ireland, will win a £100,000 bounty from the organisers of GBRow 2013 – the world’s toughest rowing race.

Read more: 2,000-mile rowing race sets off from London

Race director Chris Usborne says the current record on the GB row course will be hard to beat.

The fastest time ever recorded for the course is 26 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes set by a crew of four men in 2005.

The race is currently underway.

A 2,000-mile rowing race around Britain got under way today.

The Royal Rowbarge Gloriana led the racers through London's Tower Bridge as they embarked on the GB Row 2013 event.

The fastest time ever recorded for the course is 26 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes set by a crew of four men in 2005. The first of the six boats home will win £15,000 while £100,000 is on offer for setting a new record.